Editorial: 10 drops in the bucket

For too long, neighbors on East Sixth Street have been
terrorized by a tumbledown house. Also Online

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What's left of the stripped-to-the-studs structure has become a
base of operations for drug dealers and a source of angst and ire
for neighbors. The bank that now owns the house has shown no
inclination to secure it, let alone to fix it.

Neighbors have pleaded with the city to tear it down - without
success.

But this week, Dallas city attorneys asked the Landmark
Commission to clear the way to demolish this long-suffering
structure. Commissioners expressed displeasure with the bank and
the previous owners, who could have intervened sooner and saved
this historic house. Sixth Street residents vented about spending
years trying to compel someone, anyone, to take action.

All involved were understandably frustrated it had come to this.
To its credit, the Landmark Commission took the best option
available and approved the city's demolition request.

Homeowners in this Lake Cliff neighborhood rightly wonder
whether such blight would be tolerated in the northern half of the
city. But Tuesday's vote means that help soon should be on the way
to East Sixth Street.

Each month, this newspaper highlights opportunities for
improvement in southern Dallas. Today, in our 30th installment, we
offer updates on these 10 drops in the bucket. Problem No. 1:
√

The boarded-up, broken-down cottage at the end of Comal Street
had been stripped by thieves and taken over by squatters. The owner
agreed the house couldn't be saved but balked at the high price of
hiring bulldozers.

The update: The Texas National Guard stepped in, demolishing
this structure as part of its effort to take down dilapidated
houses connected to illegal drug activity.

The next step: Only a concrete slab remains where this sorry
house once stood. So, we're checking this item off our list.
Problem No. 2: ↑

A car wash and a shopping center on Sunnyvale Street have been a
hub of activity, attracting drug dealers and other folks who spend
their days loitering.

The update: A more visible police presence helped disperse the
once-ever-present crowd. The lots were nearly empty one morning
this week.

The next step: In the past, when the police have left, criminal
activity has resumed. So, these troublesome properties should
remain on law enforcement's radar screen. Problem No. 3: ↔

An auto repair shop on Red Bird Lane has struggled to play by
the city's rules, cramming dozens of cars onto the lot and failing
to obtain a needed inspection.

The update: The number of vehicles parked out front was reduced
to nine earlier this week. But the owner received a citation for
working on cars outside of the repair bays.

The next step: City officials will continue work to compel
compliance, explaining codes to the owner and issuing citations as
needed. Problem No. 4: ↑

The monstrosity on East Sixth Street is but a skeleton of a
house and haven for crime. Neighbors have tried for years to
convince the city to knock down this increasingly dangerous public
nuisance.

The update: On Tuesday, the last hurdle was cleared as the
Landmark Commission approved city staff's request to demolish this
unsalvageable eyesore in the Lake Cliff Historic District.

The next step: The property will be added to the city's
demolition docket, as neighbors await the bulldozers. Problem No.
5: ↑

A fire that damaged an apartment building on Rothington Road
started a years-long odyssey as the property passed from one owner
to the next - none of whom could manage to complete repairs.

The update: The current owner is inching ever-closer to the
finish line, with two units completed and nearly ready for move-in.
But the building also failed its last electrical inspection, and
citations have been issued for assorted missteps.

The next step: City officials remain optimistic that the last
loose ends will be addressed and this case soon will be closed.
Problem No. 6: ↔

Abandoned houses nearly outnumber occupied homes near Swanson
Street and Spring Avenue. Most of the boarded-up structures are in
steady decline.

The update: A couple of property owners have promised to repair
and renovate, and the city is seeking to tear down a fire-ravaged
cottage.

The next step: A demolition hearing is set for next week; city
officials will continue to address code violations and push for
improvements to other properties. Problem No. 7: √

When the car lot and garage on Bonnie View Road went out of
business, the ramshackle property became a dumping ground and a
magnet for vagrants.

The update: The city not only demolished the buildings, but it
also cleared away the parking lot, leaving nothing but a patch of
dirt.

The next step: The lot has been wiped clean, and we're checking
this item off our list. Problem No. 8: ↔ How to read the
symbols

√= Work complete

↑= Progress

↔= Stalled out

↓= Worsening

X = Coming off the list Need help in your neighborhood?

We're interested in the relatively small problems that cause big
headaches in southern Dallas neighborhoods. Send your ideas for
"drops in the bucket" to southerndallas@dallasnews.com.

A tangle of code and crime issues along Alabama Avenue has
bedeviled city officials, who have spent years cleaning up the
street, only to see new problems emerge.

The update: With one burned-out structure recently demolished,
Alabama's aesthetic is somewhat improved. But trash still
accumulates in vacant lots.

The next step: Monitoring continues, and community court
defendants have been dispatched to pick up litter. Problem No. 9:
↑

A grocery-store-turned-eyesore on South Polk Street languished
for years without prospects of being occupied again.

The update: The church that bought the property has made quick
work of renovating the building and parking lot.

The next step: Once a few finishing touches are completed, this
building makeover can be declared a success story. Problem No. 10:
↔

The update: Litter, weeds and dead branches pile up along the
street. But the most decrepit house on the block has new plywood
over its windows, and an empty lot where people spent the day
drinking has been cleared.

The next step: City officials have spurred some progress, but
code and clean-up challenges remain.

With work complete on two items, we add these new drops:

Problem No. 11: A seven-year-old house on Jamaica Street was
abandoned and left for dead after a tree crashed through the
roof.

Problem No. 12: The ugliest structure on a block of Hamilton
Avenue appears to be housing squatters and mean dogs.
Interestingly, the owner of this troubled property is the city of
Dallas.

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